MR & MRS X #10
Recap
In the finale of the ‘Gambit & Rogue Forever’ arc our merry married mutants take the fight directly to Mojo and give him a severe trouncing. But not without the considerable aid of the Time Dancer of Death herself, Spiral and some Mojoverse rebels. When the dust settles it’s time to go home. But even that gives no respite from the drama. Things have been happening while they were away.
Review
Characters/Story: It’s not often Spiral is used as anything more than a fly in the ointment or a plot device to spirit an X-Man away for a nonsense trip to Mojoverse. But this is something I’ve been wanting to see more of since her sojourn into the ranks of Uncanny X-Force and Storm’s team. A story that involved a little Spiral Spotlight and even some insight into her personality. And the bonus was with her gaining her soul and freedom from Mojo there may even be a ray of hope of character development for her in the future. To me that’s Spiralicious.
Writing: And Gambit sees a baby? That IS interesting. It seems that he has the future definitely set in his mind. And running around defeating supervillains is looking to be less of a priority now? This is a true indicator that Kelly has a long term goal in mind for the pair. She has been instrumental in making them an integral part of the x-world even while they have been separate from it, with both Deadpool and the introduction of Xandra. And she also does a perfect job of balancing the drama with the tenderness of the two lead characters, despite Spiral and her constant exclamations of disgust. Love rears it’s head all throughout the narrative and it doesn’t seem forced or over played. Even Figaro gets in on it in the more sedate moments. And yet more of Gambit being seen as more comfortable with Rogue’s assertive personality, showing he can mature.
Art: The whole issue is full of splendid moments, from the tender little scenes as above right up to the full on action, which was what this story was all about. And the action flows perfectly, giving a sense of truly natural movement as well as showcasing the figures in each panel. Which is something Oscar does well, as he allows the flow of the story to show in his art and ensures the action is full impact. As this page alone shows that ‘kinetic’ applies to more than just Gambit’s power but also the natural movement within the panels. Staging each character perfectly without allowing a lull.
And the teamwork makes the dream work. From the artistic team just as much as Rogue and Gambit. Frank D’Armata again ensures the Mojo madness is full throttle and fused with high octane colors through the whole story too. And as Gambit takes center stage there is clear shading of his coat as it billows around him, despite the fully iridescent light show going on around him. As bold and dramatic as the whole fight sequence is the finer details and shades can be seen in every panel. And this coupled with the work of Joe Sabino, whose lettering is as much a character as always in this title, goes a long way to making the story read well, even in panels with minimal use of word balloons.
Overall: And the constant buzzing of interrupting messages shows they have been missed in the wider world. They barely get time to catch their breath before they are both separately distracted even further from the main events involving their fellow mutants, by yet more personal dilemmas. A lesser writer would have drawn severe ire and frustration from a fan base, who would be chomping at the bit to see them drawn into the bigger events going on. But Kelly cleverly keeps us entertained, by dangling yet more intriguing personal development. And another outfit change for Rogue. Here’s hoping she settles on this one for a while as it’s a favorite of mine.
It’s a bold move sending the pair off again without addressing the mutant dilemma back home. With Gambit heading out to Nawlins on family business and Rogue going on her own personal mission of mercy, events are definitely keeping them out of the loop. For those who haven’t read Captain Marvel #4, also penned by Kelly Thompson, I strongly urge you to do so. If you haven’t the time or inclination at least follow the link below to see what my fellow reviewer Nicholas Osborn made of that story HERE. All this topped off with another dramatic and stunning Dodson cover, inviting us into the Mojoverse in a story that doesn’t make it look ridiculous, but somehow relevant and a little creepy.
Final Thoughts
A stunning end to the final arc that kept the two linchpin X-Men cut off from both Cyclops and his new Uncanny team and also the Age Of X-Man event. And the closing of this story lands them back on Earth with a bump.
Mr. & Mrs. X #10: Many Hands Make Light Work
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 8.5/108.5/10
- Color - 8/108/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10